Cable equalizer



l, June 14, 1927.

E. F. KIECKHEFER filme/:fair

Edwm P Kmkmgn.

By Mw Patented ,lune 14, 1927.

EDWIN F.k KIECKHEFER, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

CABLE EQUALIzEit.

Application inea June 9, 1924. serial No. 718,879.Y

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvementsin cable equalizers and refers more particularly to a device of this character adapted 'for use `in connection with freight and passengerV lifts or elevators.

There two ormore cables are employed in connection with a lift or elevator, it is desirable that meansbe provided to insure an `evendistribution of stress therebetween andthis invention contemplates as one of its obj ectsthe `provision of an'equalizer employing a fluid medium for distributing or equal-` izing lthe stress between the cables.

It isr another object of this invention to provide a cable equalizer having a plurality of connected cylinders or bores having therein pistons to which the actuating cablesare connected, the cylinders or bores being filled withl a suitable iuid medium whereby the stress on the various cables isequalized.

' A further object of `this invention resides in the provision of acable equalizer of the characterdescribed-having means for substantially directly connecting the cables with the lift or elevator in the event the equalizn ing fluid is released.

This invention has as a still further object the provision of an equalizing device of the character described which is of compact construction' permitting its ready attachment to elevators or lifts at the time of their construction or to elevators or lifts now in use and which affords a resilient connection between. the cables and the lift or elevator. Y f 1 With the above and other objectsin view which will appear asthe description proceeds, my invention resides in the novel construction, combination .and arrangement of parts substantially ashereinafter described and more particularly delined bythe appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the herein disclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.`

ln the accompanyingdrawing, I` have illfustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention constructed according to the best model have so far devised `for the 'practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the top portion of a lift or elevator equipped with an equalizer embodying my invention in Figure 3.

Figure 2 is a view of my improved equalizer detached from the lift or elevator look` ing on the plane of the line 2 2 of'Figure 1, said view being partly in top yplan and partly in section and Vaiportion ofthe Lhead or top plate being brokenvawaylto illustrate details of construction, and

Figure 3 is a view,l partly in. section and partly in elevation, taken transversely hrtugh Figure 2 on the plane of ,the line Referring now more particularly tothe accompanying drawing, in which like numerals designate like partsthroughout the several views, the numeral 5 designates a lift or elevator, which may be of 'eitherthe passenger or freight type, having a supportingrframe-work including side' 1ne1nbers 6,' but one being shown, connected at their up-A per ends by a pair of spaced parallel channel beams 7 mounting bearings 8 at their endswhich engage the shaft'guide rails 9,

but one being shown.` The cables 10 for ac` tuatino' the lift or elevator are connected with tbhe supporting frame-work medially of the beams 7 by my improved equalizing Vdevice 11, nowA about to be described]V "The equalizing device is vpreferablycon structed from a singleblock 12'of awdtli` to lit in the space between beams 7 and having opposite, laterally extended flanges 13 engaging the lower flanges 14 of thechannel beams to which they are securedby fastening members 15. The block 12is provided with two sets or groups of vertical bores or cylinders 16 and 17 Vwhich are closed at their upper ends by av head or plate 18 removably secured to the block by suitable fastening means 19. The joint between the re-v movable head and the block .is made fluid tight by the provision of a suitable gasket 20.

The cylinders of one group are'staggered with respect to the cylindersiof the other, as best illustrated in Figure 2, land passed thereinto' through openings 21 Ain the head 18 are rods'22 having pistons 23 mounted thereon and working in the bores or cylinders. Upward movement of the pistons beyond a position substantially medially of the ends of the cylinders is resisted/by a fluid mediumfconlinedbetween theI pistons and vthe head 18. Leakage of the liuid medium past the rods 22 is prevented by the glands or stutling boxes 24, as best illustrated A passage or channel 9.5 is for ned in the top face of the block medially o f the groups of bores or cylinders from which branch passages or channel-s Q7 lead to the cylinders to interconnect the cylinders at their upper ends and permit the fluid medium to pass from one cylinder to another. lli/lith thc cylinders interconnected, the pistons automatically adjust themselves to equalize the stress on all the cables and the fluid medium displaced from one cylimler by reason of the cable connected with the piston thereof being shorter than'the others, is forced or distributed among the other cylinders.

The fluid medium is fnipplied to the upper ends of the cylinders 'lo through an inlet or filling pipe 29 threaded in a passage or duct 30 in the head 18 registering with the channel or passage 25. The inlet or filling pipe is normally closed by a removable v'cap 31 preferably threaded on the filling pipe, to withstand the pressure thereon when the fluid in the cylinders is under coijnpression.

The pistons 23 are each preferably formed of a leather cup 32 medially secured on its rod 22 between two, collar members 33 and 34 confined between nuts 35 and 3G, respecn tively,A threaded on the rod and locked against accidental rotation by locking nuts 37. As will be readily obvious, any tendency of the piston to move upwardly compresses the fluid in the upper portion of the cylin der and spreads the leather cup 32 to increase its contact with the cylinder wall and prevent the escapage of the fluid therepast. A drip pan 38A is suspended beneath the block 12 by straps or brackets 39 to catch any of the fluid tending to drip therefrom.

. As illustrated in Figure 3, the rods 22ertend below the block 12 and have stop washers 4() secured thereon by nuts or other means 4:1.` The stop washers are normally spaced from the block a distance less than the distance between the upper-most lock nuts 37 and the head 18 so that, in the. event the fluid medium is released from the cylinders, the cables 10` are substantially directly connected with the lift or elevator by the stop, washers l() abuttingl the block 12.

As` will be readily obvious to those skilled the art to which an invention of this character appertains, the stress on the cables is equalized or distributed by reason of the fluid medium in the upper portions of the cylinders being free to flow froml one cylinder to another through the passages of chan-- nels 2,5 and 27 and that the fluid medium provides a substantially resilient or cushion connection between the cablesV and the lift or elevator supporting` frame.

lhat I claim as my invention is:

1. A cable equalizer of the character described, comprising a block member, said block member beingv provided with groups of cylindrical bores extending therethrough,

the bores of one group being staggered with r Aspect to the bores of another, a head plate secured to the block and closing the upper ends of the hores, rods passed through the head plate and through said bores with their lower ends projected beyond the block mempistons n'iedially mounted on sa'id rods haring a snug lit with the walls of the `oi-es, means for vattaching lifting cables to :he upper ends of the rods.| passages connectin" the upper portionsfof the hores, a VHuid medium adapted to lill the upper portions of said bores and to be compressed between the pistons and thehcad plate upon the application of` stress to said rods, the fluid medium' displaced from one bore by reason of .unequal stress 'on the rod therein being distributed to the other bores, and stopv members carried by the lower ends of said rods and spaced from the block member zr distance less than the distance between the `pistons and the plate member, whereby said rods are substantially directly connected with the block member' upon release of the fluid medium from the cylinders.

2. A cable equalizer of the character described, comprising a block member, a plurality of cylinders formed in the block member, grooved channels affording communica- 'tion between the cylinders, a head plate secured to the block member and closing the upper ends of the cylinders, pistons mounted in the cylinders, rods secured to the istons and passed outwardly of the cy inders through the means closing the upper ends thereof, means surrounding the piston rods at their point of passage through the head member to provide a vslidable fluid tight joint, means for securing lifting cables to the upper ends of said rods, and a fluid medium filling the upper ends of the cylinders whereby unequal stress on one piston displaces a portion .of the fluid medium therein and said displaced fluid medium4 being distributed to the other cylinders through the grooved channels.

3; A cable equalizer of the character described, comprising a block member, a plurality of cylinders formed in the block member, channels grooved in the upper `farce of the block member and affording communication between the cylinders, a head plate secured to' the block member and closing the` upper ends of the cylinders, pistons mounted in the cylinders, rods secured to the pistons and passed outwardly of' the cylinders through the means closing the upper ends thereof, means surrounding the piston rods at their point of passage through the head member to provide a slidable fluid tight joint, means for securing lifting cables to the upper ends of said rods, a fluid medium .filling the upper ends of the cylinders whereby unequal stress on one piston displaces a portion of the fluid medium therein and said displaced fluid medium being distributed to the other cylinders through the grooved channels, and means extended from the head plate for facilitating the insertion of the iluid medium.

4. A cable equalizer of the character dei scribed comprising a block member, a plurality of cylinders formed in the block member, means closing the upper ends of the cylinders,'pistons mounted in the cylinders, rods secured tothe pistons and vpassed outwardly of the cylinders through the means closing the upper ends thereoil and extending below the bottom of the block member,

15 means yfor securing lifting cables to the upper ends of said rods, passages connecting the upper lends of the cylinders, a liuid medium filling the upper ends of the cylindeis whereby unequal stress on one piston displaces a portion of the fluid medium therein and said displaced fluid mediumv being distributed to the other cylinders through said passages, and stop members carried by the lower ends of the rods and adapted to engage the bottom face of the block member upon release yof the fluid medium from the cylinders, to substantially directly connectthe rods withthe block member.

In testimony whereof I aiiX my signature.

EDWIN F. KIECKHEFER. 

